The ice rink
by Five seas
Summary: Two people, one old grudge and an ice rink on a cold December day.


**A Chritmas Oneshot. Hope you like it. Just a little something I suddenly felt like writing. If you don't like the pairing, DON'T READ!**

**I do NOT owh Shaman King or any of the characters in it and the following story has nothing to do with the sequel I'm hoping that will come out...one day.

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The ice rink 

Marco looked at the ice rink-an old lake in the park. The trees were bending their iced branches, and the white sky was reflecting in the frozen water. The snow was shining like the frosting of a Christmas cake. The entire landscape was really pretty and looked perfect for a Holidays card.

Marco sat down and sighed. It was Christmas and his friends had gone to a restaurant. Jeanne was on a date with…someone who's name she didn't mention. He sighed again.

* * *

He had overslept and when he did get up, he had found a note:

_"Dear Marco,_

_We're going out to lunch. Jeanne-sama already left on her date. Your present is under the tree. If you wanna join us, come to the "Blue boar"._

_Love_

_X-Laws."_

Marco growled. He didn't feel like going to a restaurant. Somewhere inside he knew there was no such place as "The Blue boar" and that the others had probably gone out at 8.30 just to get rid of him.

* * *

The young man had a really hot blood. He took everything seriously-his job, his mission to destroy Hao…he had followed Jeanne's orders blindly, with an almost fanatic flame. Maybe that was his problem-he was too serious. That upset the people around him.

He decided to put on his skates and go on the rink. The liked the feeling-the speed, the commotion, the cold breath on his face as he was running a great distance without even breaking a sweat. It calmed him down. It made him…happy. He got up and went on the ice.

There were little people. Really little. He was almost alone. Again. The better, really. He would have space to glide.

He moved quickly, surpassing two love birds and felt some snowflakes hit his face. The rink was quite big and he felt really good-he accelerated. The feeling was awesome.

He spun. That was pretty good, considering that he hadn't skated for some time. Well, he had been busy. But now he wasn't. The tournament was over-he had to become an ordinary man. It was harder than it sounded. He needed some action. He needed to be active. He had a great amount of energy to burn out.

He made a really nice spin, but slipped and fell…unfortunately, onto somebody. The girl didn't have time to scream, she was immediately squished under him.

Marco, feeling really pissed now, tried getting up-unfortunately, making things worse. Suddenly, the girl swiftly jumped on her feet, grabbed him by the collar of his coat and pulled him up.

"Are you drunk?" she asked in a cold, sarcastic voice. Marco looked at her with anger to scold her, but words just froze into his throat. He usually didn't have a probem scolding people and making even elder ones feel as if they spoke to their teacher. But now he was absolutely speechless.

And it wasn't that the young girl in front of him was scary or a distinguished beauty. Her face was a little too angular and was twisted into an angry expression. She looked like a teacher herself, the impression completed by a pair of freaky glasses.

But the reason for Marco to feel so speechless was that he knew her.

"Lilly?" he mumbled slowly, trying not to mistake her with her other three comrades with names that ended in "Ly". She looked at him, as if he was mentally retarded and then remembered.

"You're that guy that shot us through a door." Marco felt an icy chill in the voice. Suddenly he got really ashamed. The fact that he was a really fanatic follower of Jeanne didn't mean that he didn't sympathize others…and that his conscious didn't bother him when it came to the innocent he had to get out of his way. He remembered very well how the Lillies, selfless to the bottom of their hearts, stood in front of their guns to save Yoh's gang.

And it seemed as if she hadn't forgotten either. She let go of him and without saying a single word went on with skating. Marco suddenly thought of something and ran after her.

"Wait!" he yelled as he was chasing her. She was obviously playing deaf, because she didn't show signs that she heard him. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her to him. He opened his mouth to speak…and got a super powerful slap.

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!" she screamed

"I just…" he breathed out "You dropped your watch."

She blushed and looked down.

"Sorry." She said in an ashamed way and took her watch.

"I…" he said, a little confused "It's all right."

"Yeah, it is." She said quietly "At least I apologize."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Forget it." She turned around to leave, but he held her.

"Do you mean about…"

"You know best." She started to move. Marco followed her, keeping up with her pace.

"Look…" he began, but she cut him off…

"Just leave me alone, please!"

"Look, I'm trying to say something here…"

"I don't need to hear it. I know, I shouldn't expect anything anyway. Blast us through a church door and then bring us a "Get well" card in the hospital. Yeah, sure. Get well soon so we might do it again, huh?"

"Lilly…"

"What?!"

"You're talking like an old granny." Marco couldn't hold himself and got another angry slap. When he dared to look at her she had turned her head away. He tried to see her expression and got really scared-there were tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Lilly? Are you OK?"

"Leave me alone." She sighed and skated away from him…though she couldn't get away quickly enough. He cached up with her and stopped her.

"Hey...Why did you cry?"

"Leave me alone. I want to be alone!"

"Lilly….I'm sorry I upset you. I didn't mean it."

"Yeah, sure. Everybody doesn't mean it. Make the geek cry-sure, why not. It's only natural, all accidental. You never mean it, it just happens."

"Hey, stop it. I'm really sorry, I mean it!"

She swallowed her tears.

"Leave me alone."

"But I wanted to apologize."

She slipped away from here.

"Apologize somewhere else." She breathed out and skated away.

Marco kept a little distance from her as she glided through the ice. He didn't know what was coming over him ,he just felt really sorry and wanted to make up to her. Really, he never wanted to hurt anybody…he just wanted justice. He had definitely been acting really…preposterous. Like a total jackass. But he really wanted her to forgive him…he wasn't sure why, he just…couldn't stand crying girls.

Busy thinking he bumped into the fence and, tall and heavy as he was, he fell. He started cursing the slippery ice and tried to get up. Suddenly Lilly stopped by him and gave him a hand.

"Get up." She said "I have seeing big men lie on the ground like kids. Come on!"

He got up and thanked her warmly. She just snorted and warned him to be careful. Then she looked down. He was still holding her hand.

"Marco?"

"Yes?"

"Will you let go of me now?"

"Oh…yes, of course. I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"Since when are you caring?" she said sarcastically, but then softened up a little "I'm fine, don't worry."

"You sure? You seem a little…blue?" he said, after carefully picking his words. She beamed at him, finally finding that he was uneasy. She let out a small smile.

"Yes…I'm sure. I think I better go and…have a cup of tea or something."

"I'll come with you." He decided. They stepped towards a small café, built next to the rink. Lilly sat on a bench next to the lake and removed her skates, so her feet can relax, as Marco came back with two cardboard cups of tea.

"Thanks." She said and took a sip. Aw, that felt good. She closed her eyes, enjoying the pleasant warmth. She forgot about Marco, who was sitting near her, looking at her and forgetting that the tea in his hand was getting cold. After some time she got back on Earth and a short silence fell upon them. He knew he had to say something…anything. But he didn't know exactly what.

She helped him, after seeing his uneasiness. She made a casual remark about the weather and that gave their conversation a boost. Marco soon found himself listening to her voice carefully-not the words, just the sound. There was…something weird in it. Something comforting. Something really calming.

"Marco, what is it?" she asked, looking at him "You seem a little…sick."

"Oh, no." he said quickly "I'm fine. Really." Short silence "Lilly, I still need to apologize."

"About what?"

"About…that thing. I'm sorry. Really."

"Don't worry." She said "It wasn't like it was my first time."

"What?" he looked at her stunned.

"I mean the first time somebody hits me that bad. I healed in less than a week." She explained "I'm used to being beaten up, so don't worry."

"Are you trying to say that…"

"It doesn't matter, Marco. It's all in the past now." She gave him a faint smile "I'm in the present now, aren't I? And so should you. Sorry for being so rude to you."

"I should be the one apologizing." He said "I did something terrible…I hurt you…and.."

"I told you I'm not angry with you."

"Look, just listen to me…" he started "I just…never could control myself. I always followed orders. I knew that Jeanne's cause was right and just and never considered other's feelings. That's why I'm so sorry."

"I don't understand why do you keep apologizing." She shook her head "I forgave you long ago."

"Then why did you…"

"Because that's how I am." She sighed "I'm witty and sarcastic. That's how I understand people around me."

"By testing them?"

"Sort of…yeah."

"But I hurt you…."

"It doesn't matter." She breathed out "I learned to forgive everyone who tortured me…every time I was hurt, every time I felt bad because of somebody…I just forgave them. And stopped thinking about old wounds."

"That's not forgiving. It has no feeling in it. You do it automatically, without considering the results."

"Results are for me, aren't they? Besides…if I thought about the beatings or insults I got…I would hate the people who hurt me more. It's better to leave it and forgive them because we're all human."

Marco looked at her astonished. He imagined how many times she had been hurt physically and mentally to become like that.

"Lilly…it's not like that with me."

"Stop talking." She begged him and looked up. They hadn't noticed when the sky had turned darker. The rink was cleared out. The café was closing. It was late.

The moon rose up and illuminated the park, giving the landscape a different, wonderland-like air. As the artificial lights were going out the light of the stars was the only thing that stopped the darkness.

Marco started getting up, but for his surprise Lilly didn't follow his lead. She slipped her skates back on.

"Lilly?"

"Oh. Don't wait for me. I just want to try the rink at night."

"No way. I'm not letting you beat yourself up." He said, going after her.

The feeling, sliding on the ice, without being afraid of bumping into someone, with only the faint light of the moon over you, was wonderful. Marco thought about coming here more often at night.

Clouds started hiding the moon. Maybe they should go…but he didn't want. He took her hand, so they might not bump into each other and skated freely. They kept on, both skating as gracefully and naturally, as if they were walking. Slowly, they picked up each other's rhythm and moved like one. Marco pulled her next to him really carefully, so he wouldn't give her the wrong idea.

They slipped…they fell…and the moment wore off. Marco found out terrified that he had once again landed on top of her and pushed himself on his elbows. She was lying on the ice, her hair spread around like a weird sea flower. Her eyes were fixed on the sky, and then on his face.

He started apologizing, but she cut off his excuses with another look. Suddenly, all words were lost. As if he was hypnotized, he reached down and touched her cheek, where a little spot marked the place where her glasses came in contact with her nose. She carefully moved so her hands would be free. He slowly pushed her glasses off, she took his in her hand. Their eyes met fully and they felt completely opened and clear to the other. As if a barrier had fallen. Suddenly she pushed herself up, crashing her lips halfway into his. Halfway, because in the same time he had bent down to kiss her.

It wasn't gentle. It was really rough, clumsy as neither of them felt really comfortable-she, because she was lying on the ice, he because he was afraid not to hurt her...and still it was so sweet they didn't want to break off. They let go to get some air and looked at each other. Lilly's cheeks were glowing, Marco's eyes were brilliant.

"Lilly…I'm so…"

"Don't talk." She cut him off "Please!"

"No…I mustn't…I'll hurt you."

She touched his chest with her right hand, so that she could feel the steady beat of his heart.

"Shut up." She said quietly and smiled bitterly. He picked her up and put her on her feet. They kissed, this time more bravely, as a snow storm began to fall down on them.

* * *

It was snowing as if the North Poll had come in town. The wind could blow away the pavement off the streets, the snow blocked the houses. The windows were covered in frost and it was impossible to see what happened outside. One thing was for sure-it was so freaking cold! 

Jeanne sat with the rest of the X-Laws around a cozy fire in the living room of the house they all shared. Marco was not there and they were getting worried.

"Maybe I should go look for him." Suggested Mine.

"Where?" asked Jeanne "We don't know where he went."

"Perhaps we should have waited for him to wake up." Sighed Mine "He probably got angry with us."

"Do you think he's all right?"

"Let's not assume the worst. Marco is a sensible man, he'll know what to do. He's probably going to wait in a café or something until the storm stops."

"At Christmas day? Would anything be open?"

"He will find one. If not, Lyserg's home is nearby-he could have dropped in for a cup of tea…and they got carried away." somebody suggested

"With what?" asked Mine suspiciously

"Um….talking." said the tall man with a little hint of laughter in his tone.

"That's not funny!" screamed Mine "Lyserg and Marco are not…"

"We know, we know…" laughed out the other X-Laws.

"I will call Lyserg to ask him." Said Jeanne, but when she picked up the phone she froze "The line is dead."

The X-Laws looked at each other and sighed. Marco should be fine…after all, he was a rational person.

Whatever they speculated about though, it wasn't the reality. The cafés were closed, Lyserg was sound asleep, with earplugs to shatter the noises of the snow storm, and every dry ad warm place in town was crowded with people…who weren't Marco.

* * *

The snow continued to blow. The empty park seemed like a magical, dark forest from a nightmare. The shades were dense, the trees were shaking from the violent wind…clouds of frost covered everything. You couldn't see the black sky. There was no moon…and no sky. 

Still, in that pitch black darkness, there was something. A hint, a feeling of fresh breeze, coming from clearer, happier skies. An angelic light, hidden between some trees, protecting two figures, so little and fragile compared to the monstrous weather, yet so strong and unshakable. He held her in his arms, she held him in hers, they kissed passionetly. They were so close they seemed as one, and still couldn't get close enough.

Trapped in the storm….maybe. But they knew they would definitely survive the night and everything else that came. They were not alone anymore.

* * *

A/N-Really clumsy, really weird. Just wanted to write a story. You probably hate the pairing but...if you've gotten so far then you should have at least survived it. Anyway, submit a review if you feel like it. 


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